After moving his face around, he grabbed her hands and smiled happily.

“Do you like this place a lot?”

“Yeah!”

“I love this place, too.”

Patting him on the back, she looked up at the sky, patting it. Over her head was the lush greenery of the big tree on the hill. She became wistful while looking up at the tree.

“I wanted to climb that tree. I felt that if I climbed up there, I could get along well in the Imperial Palace. ”

“To the top of the tree? Up there … Wow!”

Dohwan looked up and shouted for joy. His eyes sparkled.

“So, did you climb up there?”

“Unfortunately, I fell from it while I was climbing.”

“Oops…”

Dohwan uttered a sigh at her answer. But she smiled at him and stroked him kindly.

“Though I fell from the tree, I fell into someone’s very friendly arms. Even though I fell, I really liked it better.”

She was recalling what had happened between her and Ruhae a long time ago.

Not long after she arrived in the Imperial Palace, when she was running around everywhere without any fear, she bumped into that kind man. One day when it was getting dark she climbed the tree and fell from the tree while climbing and fell in his arms. Was it from that day or after? Maybe it was before. She could manage to get by day by day thanks to his warm presence.

She embraced Dohwan warmly just like Ruhae embraced her back then.

“Thanks to him, I could meet my pretty lad like this. ”

“I’m going to do it!”

Dohwan in her arms suddenly shouted.

“I’m going to climb the tree in lieu of you, mom. I’ll climb to the top of that tree! ”

He jumped up and pointed to the top of the tree. She looked at him proudly.

“Would you, please? Even though I couldn’t climb up there, can you climb up there, son?”

“Yeah!”

His sonorous cry floated high in the clear sky.

The hot summer passed. The sunlight of the summer sun was gradually fading away.

Soon the child will observe his third birthday. Kyosul looked at him happily.

They were spending such a wonderful time together peacefully. They didn’t sense the dark clouds gathering toward them.

***

Today the Imperial Palace was busy preparing for Dohwan’s third birthday.

As numerous palace workers moved in and out, the central conference room, Daejeon, a little away from the banquet hall, was surrounded by a severe atmosphere.

Ohyulje stopped the princes of the four palaces when they were about to go back after discussing state affairs with the emperor. Bipaan was still expressionless, as if he smelled a rat or did not care about it.

On the other hand, Dukwol, whose face was always smiling, hardened his face a bit, but looked at Bipaan with an unpleasant smile. Ruhae and Binsung didn’t seem to know which way the wind was blowing, curious why the emperor stopped them.

Daejon was noisy until a moment ago with numerous officials talking to each other, but it was quiet now. The emperor opened his mouth with a low cough.

“I stopped you because I need to tell you something in advance.”

They knew that. When the emperor began to speak, everyone looked at him. Looking at the four princes one by one, he stroked his long white beard and said with a slight smile, “Tomorrow, when he observes his third birthday, I’m going to appoint Dohwan as Hwangtaeson, the successor of the next emperor.”

Except for Bipaan, the other princes flinched at his announcement. Although it was predictable, they felt it came out early, given that Dohwan was only three years old.

Tomorrow, Dohwan would be only three years old, and it was too dangerous to appoint him as Hwangtaeson when nobody knew what would happen to him in the future.

Besides, there was Mu, who turned 10 this year. His father, Prince Dukwol, smiled secretly.

“There are four palaces here and there are also lots of princes outside the palace. But it is true that Bipaan has established his strong position and I’m not young. It is no wonder at all if my successor takes my place anytime, and you know, the next emperor will definitely be Bipaan.”

“Your Majesty, you are still healthy,” Bipaan said with a cold voice.

Of course, he said that out of courtesy, and everybody knew that. Nonetheless, the emperor laughed at Bipaan, appreciating his efforts to show his manners.

“Bipaan is also urging me to make Dohwan Hwangtaeson, so Dohwan’s age doesn’t matter. As I have so few grandsons during my generation, I don’t expect any more offspring after Dohwan. I don’t think I’m making a hasty judgment on this. By the way, I am bothered by your unpleasant expression, Prince Dukwol.”

Ohyulje cast a sharp glance at Dukwol’s face. Although he smiled, his face hardened.

“As Mu’s father, do you feel uncomfortable because I am going to appoint Dohwan as Hwangtaeson, who is much younger than Mu?”

Although he didn’t rebuke him, Dukwol lowered his head at the emperor’s raised voice.

“How can I toy with such improper thinking? I was just so worried that I could not agree with what we all had to celebrate. ”

“Are you worried about something?”

“Yes, I am, Your Majesty.”

The emperor leaned forward to him. Dukwol crawled toward him and bowed face down.

“I hear a bad rumor getting around in the streets…”

As he fumbled words, the emperor wiggled his he eyebrows. Then the emperor struck his fist on the armrest of the throne and said, “Dukwol, you are now speaking like a man of small character! How come you are fumbling words as one of the four princes?”

Stunned by his rebuke, Dukwol raised his upper body upright because he deliberately fumbled

Though the emperor was old, he could not ignore his dignity. Dukwol felt a cold sweat flowing down his back. He also knew how dangerous what he had to say was.

But he felt he had to tell the emperor now.

“I’m sorry to say this, but I made a mistake because I was concerned that some chaotic rumors were getting around among lots of court ladies who liked to gossip.”

“Chaotic rumors? Get to the point! ”

When he raised his voice, Dukwol bowed.

“Tell me right now!”

With his head down, Dukwol smiled in triumph. As he upset the emperor, the repercussions of his disclosure about Dohwan would be greater.

“I dare to say it, but there is a chaotic rumor that the father of Dohwan Taehwanggun is not the Crown Prince.”

When he was done speaking, silence fell over Daejeon.

Nobody could open their mouth. With his head down, his face was all smiles.

However, there was no change in Bipaan’s facial expression, and he didn’t cast any glance at Dukwol.

Checking Bipaan’s face, the emperor stroked his mouth and touched his long beard with his long fingers.

“Hummmm……it’s an interesting story. Then, who is Dohwan’s biological father?”

Dukwol, who was full of smiles, quickly made a sad expression, raised his head and looked up at Ruhae, whose face turned white.

“I’m sorry to say this, but his biological father is Prince Ruhae…”

“Shut up!”

Bang!

The emperor got enraged and shouted at him, striking the armrest hard.

“Don’t you know what you’re babbling about? Do you think you’re going to be safe even after making such reckless remarks? How could you dare say that Dohwan’s father is not Bipaan? How dare you say that, you bastard!”

While yelling at Dukwol, the emperor watched Ruhae’s response. His keen eyes did not miss Ruhae’s face turning white. He even saw Ruhae clenching his fists to stop trembling.

Now the emperor cast his glance at Bipaan, but again there was no change in his facial expression. The emperor was about to smile after confirming what he expected in Bipaan’s expression, but quickly looked at Ruhae and said, “Ruhae, deny it if you want to. How come this kind of rumor about you is getting around?”

“Well, I think I was rumored because I frequently visited the Dongbi Palace as the teacher of Dohwan Taehwanggun.”

Though Ruhae answered calmly, his voice was trembling a bit.

The emperor’s eyebrows wiggled.

“Crown Prince Bipaan! Tell me about it in detail! ”

As the emperor shouted at him in anger, Bipaan gently closed and opened his eyes

He said, “Please calm down, Your Majesty. Needless to say, Dohwan is my blood.”

It was a calm voice, but as the emperor already knew that Bipaan could stay calm and sober in any situation, he could not take Bipaan’s remarks at face value.

Jumping out of his chair, he shouted while walking toward the back door.

“Call all the members of the royal family to Daejon after dinner. Also, summon all the concubines!”

The four princes bowed as his order, and numerous palace officials lay face down, answering in unison, “Yes, Your Majesty!”

Dukwol’s eyes were filled with smiles. The stone he threw made a ripple brilliantly. He did not know how the pond would roll, but he was satisfied that all the members of the royal family would get together.